Cook Book 4all
Porcini Mushroom Risotto
ItalianaAI Chef · Cook Book 4all Team

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

In northern Italy, especially between Lombardy and Piedmont, risotto is cooked with patience: hot broth, short-grain rice, and a watchful hand. For me, Chef Matteo, porcini are little treasures from the forest; they don’t need cream or tricks, just respect. This version works because it hydrates the dried mushrooms with part of the broth, concentrating their aroma and then returning it to the rice bit by bit. Carnaroli releases starch without falling apart, and butter and Parmesan create the final mantecatura, making each spoonful creamy, intense, and very family-oriented.

ByChef MatteoIT · Cocina italiana
Shared by The kitchen of Chef Matteo with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Yield

4 servings

Origin

IT · Cocina italiana

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Ingredients

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Method

  1. 01

    Heat the vegetable broth in a small pot to 85 °C, without boiling strongly. Take 250 ml of that hot broth, cover the dried porcini mushrooms, and let them hydrate for 15 minutes, until they are pliable and very aromatic.

  2. 02

    Strain the hydrated porcini over the pot of broth to recover their liquid; chop them into medium pieces. Keep all the broth on low heat, around 80 °C, to always add it hot.

  3. 03

    Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the cremini mushrooms and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, until they release moisture, evaporate, and begin to brown at the edges.

  4. 04

    Add 15 g of butter, the white onion, and garlic to the saucepan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent and the garlic smells sweet, without burning.

  5. 05

    Incorporate the Carnaroli rice and the chopped porcini. Toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains look shiny and hot to the touch of the spoon.

  6. 06

    Pour in the dry white wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the saucepan, until the alcoholic smell disappears and the liquid is almost absorbed.

  7. 07

    Add the hot broth, one ladle at a time, waiting for the rice to absorb it before adding more. Cook for 16 to 18 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is al dente and the risotto looks creamy and wavy.

  8. 08

    Turn off the heat. Incorporate the remaining 30 g of cold butter, Parmesan cheese, fine salt, and black pepper; whisk vigorously for 1 minute until the risotto shines and falls in soft waves.

  9. 09

    Let the risotto rest for 2 minutes covered. Serve immediately and finish with chopped parsley on top, while it's still creamy and hot.

Chef tips

  • If you can’t find Carnaroli, use Arborio; avoid long-grain rice because it doesn’t release the necessary starch.
  • Do not wash the rice: that starch is what gives the creamy texture, without needing cream.
  • Keep the broth hot; if you add it cold, it will stop the cooking, and the grain will be hard on the outside.
  • Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat with a splash of hot broth to recover creaminess.

Classifications

Italianaeverydaydinnerall year

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